Nov. 15 is the 37th annual Great American Smokeout

This Thursday (Nov 15), the American Cancer Society is observing the 37th annual Great American Smokeout. The Smokeout is a day set aside for tobacco users to begin to create a plan to quit smoking or to quit on that day.

According to the American Cancer Society, “tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the US, yet more than 45 million Americans still smoke cigarettes. However, more than half of these smokers have attempted to quit for at least one day in the past year. As of 2010, there were also 13.2 million cigar smokers in the US, and 2.2 million who smoke tobacco in pipes.”

Smoking increases risk for many diseases/disorders including high blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, and certain kinds of cancer. Quitting not only reduces the risk for those but also has some short term benefits including:

20 minutes after quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure drop.

12 hours after quitting, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting, your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

1 to 9 months after quitting, coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) start to regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.

1 year after quitting, the excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker’s.

5 years after quitting, risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder are cut in half. Cervical cancer risk falls to that of a non-smoker. Stroke risk can fall to that of a non-smoker after 2-5 years.

10 years after quitting, the risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking. The risk of cancer of the larynx (voice box) and pancreas decreases.

15 years after quitting, the risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker’s.

Not only is smoking bad for the body but tobacco use increases the risk for periodontal (gum) disease, stained teeth and tongue, oral cancer, dulled sense of taste and smell, and elongated recovery time after oral surgery. Mouthhealthy.com can offer more information regarding the impact of tobacco on oral health.

Source: http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/Information/Articles/ADA/2012/article/ADA-11-Nov-15-is-the-37th-annual-Great-American-Smokeout.cvsp

R. Eric. Emery, DDS

Smile Station Dental

2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400

St. Louis, MO 63122

(314)821-7100

smilestationdental.com

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